Travel news

Vietnam looks to make tourism a spearhead sector

October 07,2019 11:13 AM

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism plans to develop tourism into a spearhead economic sector by 2030, creating conditions to boost growth in other industries and making a significant contribution to shaping a modern economy.

The ministry will work to make Vietnam a renowned tourist attraction and leading destination in Southeast Asia by 2030 and in Asia-Pacific by 2050.

To realize the goals set, overriding priority will be given to sustainable tourism development, which means tourism will be branched out in tandem with the preservation of traditional cultural characteristics, the effective management and use of natural resources, the protection of biodiversity, and the creation of jobs and provision of social welfare, while ensuring national defense and security and social order. Advanced technology and high-quality human resources are seen as breakthrough elements in building a professional and competitive tourism industry.

Vietnam welcomed 11.3 million in the first eight months of this year, a year-on-year increase of 8.7 per cent. The number of international tourists has surged three-fold from 5 million in 2010. The country was ranked the world’s fourth fastest-growing travel destination in a 2018 UN World Tourism Organization report.

First mural road finished in “Kingdom of Ginseng”

August 05,2019 09:43 AM

A new mural road has been completed in mountainous Nam Tra My district in central Quang Nam province. The road is some 600 meters long and features 32 works, each 2.5 meters in height and 5 meters in width, depicting the beautiful local scenery, daily life, traditional songs and dance of local ethnic minority groups, and, especially, images of the district’s famous Ngoc Linh ginseng. The murals were painted by teachers and students at schools in the district to call for forest and environmental protection and the preservation and development of Ngoc Linh ginseng. According to local ginseng experts, the stems and roots of Ngoc Linh ginseng contain 52 saponins (the main component of ginseng, with the more saponins the better). Of the 52 saponins, 26 are commonly found in Korean, American, and Japanese ginseng, while the other 26 have only just been discovered, making it one of the world’s rarest ginseng.

AI water purifiers introduced in Hanoi

August 05,2019 09:47 AM

A batch of 20 smart water purifiers that integrate artificial intelligence (AI) have been installed at August 19 Park in Hai Ba Trung district and other public spaces around Hanoi. The AI water filters can provide users with various types of drinking water that can be selected via multi-function buttons, including mineral, alkaline, natural, pH balance (alkaline water), and water containing antioxidants. The purifiers display all quality parameters on screens and have a capacity of purifying 100 liters of water per hour. All are linked and send signals to a central server. The installation of these smart water filters is an environmentally-friendly measure aimed at reducing the use of plastic bottles.

Thua Thien Hue developing traditional crafts

August 05,2019 09:41 AM

The central province of Thua Thien Hue will expand its traditional handicraft and craft villages in a manner that harmonizes economic development and building new-style rural areas. Under planning to 2020 and vision to 2025, attention will be paid to the restoration of several craft villages like Thanh Tien village, which makes paper flowers, the Pho Trach mattress-making village, and villages with traditional “ao dai” tailoring and lacquer making, among others. Further efforts will be made to protect Zeng weaving of the Ta Oi ethnic minority in Nam Dong and A Luoi districts, which was recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2017. The province will also support craft villages in applying advanced technology into production to improve product quality and develop villages with competitive advantages that can generate jobs for local residents. Thua Thien Hue is currently home to 86 villages that focus on 57 traditional handicrafts and crafts. These villages have helped increase local incomes while pushing the restructuring of the rural economy towards industrialization and modernization.